Childhood Play and Environmental Interests: Panacea or Snake Oil?

An Exploration of Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences in Outdoor ‘Places’ and Intentions for Teaching in the Outdoors

“…Correspondingly, Jones (2012) analyzed reflective essays written by 180 Australian pre-service teachers after an outdoor immersion program, which revealed that a majority of the pre-service teachers had limited experiences outdoors in their teens and 20s, yet this study also did not address the teachers' earlier experiences in the outdoors. In another study by Vadala et al (2007), comparison groups of young adult environmental professionals (field naturalists, environmental educators, or conservationists) and 'nonoutdoor enthusiasts' were asked during interviews about their current levels and types of environmentally related activities and to describe how these interests developed since childhood. Results indicated that the group of environmental professionals largely described outdoor play experiences involving both child -child and childnature interactions, while the group of 'nonoutdoor enthusiasts' was 'largely devoid of significant outdoor experiences or had a few experiences that they remembered negatively' (p. 13).…”

“…Another set of studies investigating significant life experiences with the natural environment has focused on adult environmental activists or professionals (Arnold, Cohen, & Warner, 2009;Horwitz, 1996;Kals, Schumacher, & Montada, 1999;Kempton & Holland, 2003;Vadala, Bixler, & James, 2007). However, Holmes (2003) suggests that we need to expand the range of research participants to incorporate a wider range of socioeconomic and cultural diversity, rather than focusing specifically on environmentalist participants, in order to determine how nature experiences are affecting various populations.…”

Close encounters with nature in an urban kindergarten: a study of learners' inquiry and experience

“…In contrast, the familiar and nearby natural environments can offer children opportunities to revisit and repeat their direct experiences. Research demonstrates children's need for repeated experiences with nature in multiple ways to benefit effectively (Carson 1956;Chawla 1994;Cobb 1977;Falk and Dierking 2002;Pedretti 2002;Thompson and Thompson 2007;Vadala, Bixler, and James 2007). For example, in their study of a 3-day residential environmental programme for grade 4 students, James and Bixler (2008) found that to encourage students to become and remain attentive and interested in their natural environment, they need frequent rich informal direct experiences with nature surrounded by engaging social interactions and supportive adults.…”

Constructing the Nature Experience: A Semiotic Examination of Signs on the Trail

“…As a physical entity, nature can be a place of exploration and discovery (Bixler et al 2002;Chawla 1990;Vadala et al 2007); a place of fascination, challenge, captivation, and novelty (Bixler et al 2002;Chawla 2006;Kellert 1993;Talbot and Kaplan 1986); a place of solitude and reflection (Talbot and Kaplan 1986;Tanner 1980); a place of concern (Chawla 1988(Chawla , 2007Vorkinn and Reise 2001); a place for human health, comfort, and restoration (Chawla 2006;Kaplan et al 1998;Olds 1989;Wells and Evans 2003); a place of emotional affinity, reverence, and attachment (Kals et al 1999;Kellert 1993); a place of beauty; a place to master; and a place to exploit (Kellert 1993). It also can be a place of fear, disgust, and dislike (Bixler et al 2002;Kellert 1993).…”